LeBron aggravates ankle injury; opener vs. Celtics in doubt

This is a team that has played in three straight NBA Finals, has this generation's best player in LeBron James, a three-time NBA champion and Finals MVP in Dwyane Wade, a former NBA MVP in Derrick Rose, one the league's leading scorers previous year in Isaiah Thomas, one of the top five stretch forwards in Kevin Love and one of it's deadliest shooters in J.R. Smith and they are considered by many an after thought.

James aggravated his ankle while making his exhibition debut Tuesday night against Chicago.

James and Irving, who helped the Cavs win a championship in 2016, reportedly had a falling out in the offseason which led to the latter being traded to Boston. "So when you tell me something else, literally a couple of days later, it's like, ah, now I got to change my mind frame from where I was at the last three years to flip it back to me being the sixth man - a successful three years, an extremely successful three years, I mean, we've been to three straight Finals". Smith learned this week that he was headed to the bench so Dwyane Wade could start at shooting guard, but Lue's plan as of Wednesday was for James to sit in Orlando and for Smith to start in his place.

In his first pre-season game coming off an ankle injury, James scored 17 points, grabbed five rebounds and dished out three assists in 30 minutes.

James, entering the season as the odds-on favourite to win his fifth MVP award, did not speak to reporters following Wednesday's practice session. There were few sparkling moments as the group was mostly out of sync. Vardon also adds that Cavs head coach Tyronn Lue has granted J.R. Smith's request to remain with the second unit.

"It's a challenge when you've got a new team and you want to incorporate stuff.You want to see what works". "I actually like playing on the second unit better", Smithsaid. He only started 162 of the 697 games he played from 2004-14 but has only come off the bench seven times in 164 games with Cleveland.

One can only wonder, but while some may want to dismiss them as too old, too slow and playing in an inferior conference, it would be wise to never understate them.